greeting
UK[ˈɡriːtɪŋ]US[ˈɡriːtɪŋ]
n
A word or gesture used when meeting someone.
n
The action of giving a sign of welcome or recognition.
Morpheme Breakdown
greet
ing
greet
to address, salute, attack
ing
Etymology
The word 'greeting' originates from the Old English verb 'grētan', which carried the core sense of 'to address' or 'to confront', and could even mean 'to attack'. This verb is related to the Old High German 'gruozen', meaning 'to address'. Over time, the confrontational aspects faded, and the sense specialized to the act of addressing someone upon meeting, focusing on salutation and welcome. The addition of the nominal suffix '-ing' (from Old English '-ung') transformed the action into a noun, resulting in the modern term for a word or gesture of welcome.
Analysis
Structure: greet + ing
'greet' (from Old English 'grētan', meaning 'to address, salute, attack'), 'ing' (from Old English '-ung', a suffix forming nouns of action).
Examples
She offered a warm greeting to all the guests.
A simple nod can be a form of greeting.
The letter began with the traditional greeting, "Dear Sir or Madam."